I Corps (Ottoman Empire)

I Corps 1 nci Kolordu / Birinci Kolordu
Active	1911–
Country	Ottoman Empire
Type	Corps
Garrison/HQ	Harbiye, Constantinople
Patron	Sultans of the Ottoman Empire
Engagements	Gallipoli Campaign (World War I)

The I Corps of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: 1 nci Kolordu or Birinci Kolordu) was one of the corps of the Ottoman Army consisting of ethnic Albanians.[1] It was formed in the early 20th century during Ottoman military reforms.

Formation

Order of Battle, 1911

With further reorganization of the Ottoman Army, to include the creation of corps-level headquarters, by 1911 the I Corps was headquartered in Harbiye. Before the First Balkan War in 1911, the corps was structured as such:[2]

• I Corps, Harbiye, Constantinople (Ferik Zeki Pasha)
  • 1st Infantry Division, Harbiye, Constantinople
    • 1st Infantry Regiment, Harbiye, Constantinople
    • 2nd Infantry Regiment, Bakırköy, Constantinople
    • 3rd Infantry Regiment, İşkodra
    • 1st Rifle Battalion, Taksim, Constantinople
    • 1st Field Artillery Regiment, Taksim, Constantinople
    • 1st Division Band, Harbiye, Constantinople
  • 2nd Infantry Division, Selimiye, Constantinople (Mirliva Prens Aziz Pasha)
    • 4th Infantry Regiment, İşkodra
    • 5th Infantry Regiment, Selimiye, Constantinople
    • 6th Infantry Regiment, Selimiye, Constantinople
    • 2nd Rifle Battalion, Selimiye, Constantinople
    • 2nd Field Artillery Regiment, Selimiye, Constantinople
    • 2nd Division Band, Selimiye, Constantinople
  • 3rd Infantry Division, Pangaltı, Constantinople (Mirliva Osman Pasha)
    • 7th Infantry Regiment, Taşkışla, Constantinople
    • 8th Infantry Regiment, Taşkışla, Constantinople
    • 9th Infantry Regiment, Kağıthane, Constantinople
    • 3rd Rifle Battalion, Tophane, Constantinople
    • 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, Rami Kışlası, Constantinople
    • 3rd Division Band, Taşkışla, Constantinople
• Units of I Corps
• 1st Rifle Regiment, Yıldız, Constantinople
• 1st Cavalry Brigade, Davutpaşa, Constantinople
  • 1st Cavalry Regiment, Yıldız, Constantinople
  • 2nd Cavalry Regiment, Davutpaşa, Constantinople
• 2nd Cavalry Brigade, Davutpaşa, Constantinople
  • 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Davutpaşa, Constantinople
  • 4th Cavalry Regiment, Selimiye, Constantinople
• 1st Horse Artillery Battalion, Davutpaşa, Constantinople
• 1st Mountain Artillery Battalion, Münzevî Kışlası, Constantinople
• 1st Field Howitzer Battalion, Gümüşsuyu, Constantinople
• 1st Engineer Battalion, İplikhane, Constantinople
• 1st Telegraph Battalion, Ertuğrul Kışlası, Constantinople
• 1st Medical Battalion, Ahırkapı, Constantinople
• 1st Railroad Battalion, Ahırkapı, Constantinople
• 2nd Railroad Battalion, Ahırkapı, Constantinople
• War Academy, Harbiye, Constantinople
  • Cavalry Squadron, Harbiye, Constantinople
  • Infantry Company, Harbiye, Constantinople
  • Provisional Companies x 2, Harbiye, Constantinople
  • Machine-gun Company, Harbiye, Constantinople
• Bosporus Fortified Area Command, Bosporus, Constantinople
  • 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment, Bosporus, Constantinople
  • 2nd Heavy Artillery Regiment, Bosporus, Constantinople
  • Searchlight Detachment, Bosporus, Constantinople
  • Torpedo Detachment, Bosporus, Constantinople
  • Mine Detachment, Bosporus, Constantinople
  • Wireless Detachment, Bosporus, Constantinople

Balkan Wars

Order of Battle, October 17, 1912

On October 17, 1912, the corps was structured as follows:[3]

• I Corps (Thrace, under the command of the Eastern Army)
  • 2nd Division, 3rd Division
  • 1st Provisional Division

Order of Battle, October 29, 1912

On October 29, 1912, the corps was structured as follows:[4]

• I Corps (Thrace, under the command of the First Eastern Army)
  • 2nd Division, 3rd Division
  • 1st Provisional Division, Uşak Redif Division

Order of Battle, November 17, 1912

On November 17, 1912, the corps was structured as follows:[5]

• I Corps (Thrace, under the command of the Chataldja Army)
  • 2nd Division, 3rd Division
  • South Wing Detachment
• I Provisional Reserve Corps
  • 29th Division
  • Ergli Redif Division, Kayseri Redif Division

Order of Battle, March 25, 1913

On March 25, 1913, the corps was structured as follows:[6]

• I Corps (Thrace, under the command of the Chataldja Army)
  • 2nd Division
  • Fatih Redif Division
• I Provisional Reserve Corps
  • 29th Division,
  • Ergli Redif Division, Kayseri Redif Division

Order of Battle, July 1913

• I Corps (Thrace)
  • 2nd Division, 28th Division, Fatih Infantry Division

World War I

Order of Battle, August 1914, November 1914

In August 1914, November 1914, the corps was structured as follows:[7]

• I Corps (Thrace)
  • 1st Division, 2nd Division, 3rd Division

Order of Battle, Late April 1915

In late April 1915, the corps was structured as follows:[8]

• I Corps (Thrace)
  • 1st Division, 2nd Division

Order of Battle, Late Summer 1915, January 1916

In late Summer 1915, January 1916, the corps was structured as follows:[9]

• I Corps (Gallipoli)
  • 2nd Division, 3rd Division

Order of Battle, August 1916

In August 1916, the corps was structured as follows:[10]

• I Corps (Gallipoli)
  • 14th Division, 16th Division

Order of Battle, December 1916

In December 1916, the corps was structured as follows:[11]

• I Corps (Thrace)
  • 14th Division, 16th Division

Order of Battle, August 1917, January 1918, June 1918, September 1918

In August 1917, January 1918, June 1918, September 1918, the corps was structured as follows:[12]

• I Corps (Thrace)
  • 42nd Division

After Mudros

Order of Battle, November 1918

In November 1918, the corps was structured as follows:[13]

• I Corps (Thrace)
  • 55th Division

Order of Battle, January 1919

In January 1919, the corps was structured as follows:[14][15]

• I Corps (Thrace, Adrianople; present day Edirne)
  • 49th Division (Kırkkilise; present day Kırklareli)
    • 153rd Infantry Regiment, 154th Infantry Regiment, 155th Infantry Regiment, 185th Infantry Regiment
  • 60th Division (Malkara)
    • 186th Infantry Regiment, 187th Infantry Regiment

Sources

1. Tucker, Spencer (2009). A global chronology of conflict: from the ancient world to the modern Middle East. ABC-CLIO. p. 1549. ISBN 978-1-85109-667-1. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
2. Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, pp. 371–372.
3. Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 83.
4. Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 103.
5. Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 128.
6. Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 287.
7. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 38, 43.
8. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 86.
9. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 109, 126.
10. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 134.
11. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 154.
12. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 170, 181, 188, 197.
13. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 202.
14. Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 209.
15. Zekeriya Türkmen, Mütareke Döneminde Ordunun Durumu ve Yeniden Yapılanması (1918-1920), Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, 2001, ISBN 975-16-1372-8, p. 326.